No preamble, let's get right into it...

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OK, start with current finances...

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My finances are doing ok but now in the back half of this year most of my pension is going to taxes, so my savings are slowly bleeding out.  I will need to sell some stock before year end, but it won't be too much.  And I had planned for this.  But I swear, even pinky swear, next year will be different.  

So ... how is next year going to be different? 

First:  I'll start with the big item. Instead of doing a major Roth rollover like I've been doing every year since retiring next year I will cut it down. I am thinking I will do a $30k Roth rollover instead of the $70k I did this year, and $100k the prior year.  That will allow me to pay $10,000 - $15,000 less in taxes.

Second: In May '27 my car loan payments will be coming to an end.  Yes, I could pay off the loan, but at 2% I will just let it end normally.  I'm paying around $15,000/year on the loan so lets call it $8,000 less I need to spend in '27.  Huzzah.

Third: I'll start medicare and I will be able to use my HSA for the monthly payments so there's $500/mo. more for me as well.  (Starts near year end, so not much in '27, but it's still nice to have!)

Fourth: I will be able to get at least part of the senior bonus tax savings (I do turn 65 next year!)  Maybe $2,500 less taxes due to this!

So my extra cash flow for next year is approximately: $12,500 + $8,000 + $2,500 + $1,000 for a total of $24,000

Oh yeah... my pension has a COLA which should add about $2,000 as well.  And what do I have plans for with this money?  Probably some house repairs/ upgrades.  New flooring is top of the list.  New driveway is a possibility.  The garage needs some repairs too.  Uh oh, I may use a good chunk of that free cash flow.

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And then there's everything else

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Well fall is taking its sweet time getting here.  Still using my a/c, but supposedly temps finally drop starting tomorrow.  'bout time.  

Two weeks ago I visited with my mother.  As usual I was master repair guy, this time fixing a hole in her roof.  Yes, it's the roof I worked on over a decade ago.  I made a mistake in how I shingled around sky lights - oops.  Looked great and worked great for a decade but now its causing (caused) damage around both skylights.  I went on the roof and initially made a mistake, but a good mistake.  I started working on the sky light I thought had damage, but it was the wrong one.  But in doing so I found that there was inital damage on this one also, so both needed repair.  I even had to cut out a piece of roof and replace it.  But I got'er done.  The next day the north-easter started pouring rain in the area so we had tons of rain.  I went in the attic and checked it two days later - not a drop.  A few days chilling, and back home I came.

Also while there we visited my cousin with the RV.  In the past year it was used once, but by his sister.  That's all?  And now he has gotten an electric bike 🚲 -they're not cheap!  I found it in his basement with no easy way to get out, and he says, of course, he hasn't used it once yet.  Dude, its the end of summer, if you haven't used it all summer - when???  I mean... he has spent some money to redo flooring in a few rooms of the home he shares with his mother, and he doesn't complain about not having enough money.  So who am I to say he's wrong?  But still... Oy vey.

Back on the Labor Day weekend I spent it at, for the lack of a better phrase, a personal relationships conference.  I used to do this with the Ex-GF, but you don't have to be in a relationship to attend.  I went by myself, and sorta like Tabs wrote in his blog post, I felt like an imposter while I was there.  Not to get into details, but so often I feel like I don't belong at social gatherings -especially this one, so it can be really hard for me.  Add my mild social anxiety issues, and the weekend was a roller coaster to be sure.  Also my Ex was there and was really nice to me whenever we were together.  That said I got to see why she is my ex.  There was a situation where she was great, better than I could ever be, but then another time I was like OMG she was a disaster.  Thankfully there was much more good than bad, but sheesh.  Oh well, we are still friends and I can take her in moderate doses, and that's a good thing at least.

Since then I have spent more time on forums where people discuss relationships.  OMG, what I read makes me think I will be single the rest of my life.  Women that literally say (Yes, this is a quote) "I think it's in a woman's best interest to create a disagreement to see what he's made of.  Time is valuable, no sense in wasting it."  This is a woman my age.  Response to her by a mid 40s y.o. states every man has childhood trauma, insists he should be in therapy, then shows a list of questions she asks that are some of the most ... maybe obnoxious is the word here.  Oh, her bio states she wants a man that adores her but states she will be happy but single until she finds a "genuinely exceptional man.  If he even exists."  I am shocked, shocked I say, that she is single.   Well... not that shocked.  Oh my god, I just... I haven't the words.  All the "pronouns" everywhere.  And then the people posting about "micro-agressions" (their words), and I am just over it.

Do I need to start going to church?  Start my own religion?  I'm really at the point I think I am going to remain single, and that it may be for the best.  Maybe move cross country and help my son?  Lord knows he could use some help.  Or move to some country where people have some sanity still?  [Editor's note: This was written two weeks ago - Single Guy has recoved and is more chill now and thinking being single is a good thing.  Back to his writing...]   There is a woman I connected with recently, though she lives a state away.  If nothing comes of it, well life goes on and that's good too.  We talked a few times, so that's a start at least.  Having someone to connect with, even if it's minor is a big help in feeling connected to the world.

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So that's it.  Lots of good/great stuff, and lots of bad/awful stuff.  As Dickens said, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.  Can I just have the better times?